


Feels Like Coming Home

by rhysbraxton



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Auror Draco Malfoy, Auror Harry Potter, Auror Partners, Character Death, Depression, Established Relationship, M/M, Missions Gone Wrong, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-Hogwarts, Suicide, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:47:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29249016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhysbraxton/pseuds/rhysbraxton
Summary: Harry's been missing for six months after an auror mission went wrong. Draco has hope his husband is still alive when he receives a letter from Gawain Robards.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Kudos: 26





	Feels Like Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> This one shot was inspired by Jetta's song "Feels Like Coming Home"! Give it a listen! It's definitely a song to add to your Hogwarts playlist 😉

Dear Mr. Potter,

I hope this letter finds you in good health. Please come swiftly to the Ministry of Magic at 4pm on Sunday to Mr. Gawain Robards' office. We have discovered the whereabouts of your husband, Mr. Harry Potter. That is all we can disclose at the moment.

Deepest regards,

Gawain Robards

Ministry of Magic

Draco excitedly leapt out of his bed. "They found him! He's okay! My Harry is coming back to me!" He shouted out to no one in particular. Draco looked at the grandfather clock across the room. The big hand was pointing to three. Thank god he and Harry's owl was out of commission at the moment. The Weasley's lent them Errol for the time being, and seeing as the bird always did have issues with delivering letters, the grey owl had delivered the letter an hour before instead of a day early. Draco didn't think he could've waited until Sunday had Errol arrived a few days prior.

Draco rushed to the grand hallway of 12 Grimmauld Place, hurriedly throwing on his best robes. He hadn't seen Harry for four months and he'd be damned if he didn't look his best for his husband. With one last look in the mirror, Draco nodded at his reflection in approval before apparating to a dingy street in the heart of London. In front of him stood an old, red telephone box which was missing several panes of glass and stood before a heavily graffittied wall. Draco pulled the receiver from the dangling telephone apparatus before punching in six, two, four, four two.

""Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business," a woman's voice rang clear throughout the box. However, her voice seemed to fill the box as if she were standing right beside him. He'd never used the visitors entrance before so he stuck to responding through the mouthpiece of the telephone.

"Draco Malfoy, husband of Auror Harry Potter, here to meet with Head Auror Mr. Robards in his office at 3pm."

"Thank you. Visitor, please take the badge and attach it to the front of your robes," the woman said. Draco's eyes widened as he saw a square silver badge come out of the coin slot with the words Draco Malfoy, Personal Meeting on it. He pinned it to the front of his robes as the female voice spoke again. 

"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."

Draco heard a click and the floor beneath him began to shudder before descending into the ground, surrounded by complete darkness. After about a minute, the box touched the ground and the door sprang open. Draco quickly stepped out and made his way to security.

After passing through security, Draco made his way to the second level: Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Draco briskly walked by the cluttered open area divided into cubicles, eager to see his Harry.

Draco saw a sign plastered to a cubicle in the corner donning the title, "Auror Headquarters". He made a beeline for the cubicle, then turned right finding himself standing in front of a large, dark oak door. A golden plaque with the words Head Auror, and then Mr. Gawain Robards beneath it was nailed to the door at eye level.

Draco muttered a quick tempos checking his time. Good. He was right on time. Just as he was about to knock on Auror Robards' door, the door opened before him revealing a stoic man, he assumed to be the Head Auror. He certainly looked the part, which the tightly pursed lips and thick, naturally furrowed brows. 

"Come in Mr. Potter," the taller man said gruffly. Robards beckoned Draco to enter, who happily obliged. Draco's face fell as he realized Harry wasn't there to greet him. The letter did say they had found him. Perhaps he was far away and was still on his way home.

The stoically poised man shut the great door behind him before making his way to his desk. Before sitting down in his chair, he gestured for Draco to take a seat. Draco tentatively complied sensing the palpable tension in the air.

"Now, Mr. Potter-"

"Please, call me Draco"

"Alright. Draco, I know my letter wasn't all too revealing but as you know Auror Potter is in a dangerous job and we couldn't risk giving out more information had it landed in the wrong hands. I'm sure you understand". 

Draco gave a curt nod anxiously waiting to be reunited with his love.

"Right, well as you know Auror Potter was sent on an undercover mission in the muggle world, the details of which I'm afraid are confidential. Of course, in our line of work, investigative missions can take anywhere from weeks to months to years. However, we sent our top five out in the field hoping for quick work. And hope we did". 

Draco noticed Robards slumped state and downcast eyes firmly staring a mark in his desk. It felt wrong to witness a supposed "rough around the edges" type of man seem almost, weak and small. The longer Robards drew out the story the more concerned Draco became.

"Now I know I can't share the details with you but let me tell you, this case was unprecedented and our lead was barely a lead," Robards scoffed shaking his head lightly. 

"But you know how determined and headstrong Auror Potter could be. He told me he'd bring in the culprit if it was the last thing he did and I believed him. I sent him on skewed path. I'm- I'm sorry Draco." 

"I'm not sure I understand Sir. What is you're not telling me? Where is my husband?" Draco's pulse quickened and he heard a small crack coming from the wooden arm of his chair. He didn't feel the wood splinters pierce his skin. There was one thing on his mind, and one thing only. Draco felt blood rush to his head as he stood up. He pushed the chair behind him angrily and gripped Robards' desk, knuckles ashen white. 

"Where. Is. Harry." 

"Malfoy you will sit down right this instant!" Robards yelled, now standing to math Draco. "I haven't explained everything to you." he added quietly before sitting down.

Draco stiffened his posture in response to Robards' words but he knew Harry wouldn't want his temper to get the best of him.

"Call me that name again and you'll see I can be a lot more hostile." Draco bristled in anger before calming down to say, "Now please, tell me where Harry is."

"Right. Every Friday, Auror Potter and his team members would send a Patronus telling us they were alright and where they were in the mission. About two months ago we stopped hearing from them. We gave them a month before we started to become really concerned but we were too late. It took us a month to locate them based on their last check in. According to the coroner, we found their bodies a five weeks after their initial death. I'll spare you the details. It isn't how someone should remember their loved one. I'm so sorry Mr. Potter. Like I said, this is a dangerous job and -"

"BULL FUCKING SHIT! YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING WHEN YOU SENT HIM. ARE THEY JUST BLOODY PAWNS TO YOU? JUST MINDLESS MACHINES TO DO YOUR DIRTY WORK?" 

Draco raged at Robards, once again in a standing position. In a matter of seconds, Draco's long legs crossed the desk and he grasped the taller man's clothed shoulders pinning him against the wall. His left arm pressed against the man's neck holding him hostage while his right hand held his wand to Robards' throat.

"Give me his file. I know you have it. Give it to me and maybe I won't hex your balls off." Draco growled and shoved the tip of his wand deeper into Robards' quivering throat. 

"It's- It's in the- the drawer. The- to-top drawer. Right drawer" Robards wheezed, straining against the tight hold Draco had on his windpipes.

"The name. Give me the name"

"Virietis"

Draco released Robards from his group and took a step back. Before Robards could move, Draco pointed his wand at the man's chest and shouted, "Stupefy".

The force of the spell hit the man square in the chest slamming him against the wall so hard that it cracked. Blood trickled down from Robards' forehead.

"Accio Virietis folder"

A manila folder flew into Draco's hands with "viertis" scribbled in the top corner in black. Draco gripped the folder tightly to his chest before apparating back to 12 Grimmauld Place. He couldn't be bothered with niceties anymore. Not when Robards never gave Harry a fighting chance. 

******

The pompous git gave himself a fucking codename. Draco chuckled to himself shaking his head. "Virietis" meant stag in Latvian. Of course, since the prat was sent to Latvia he had to have a Latvian name. Draco stood in their bedroom flipping through the folder, disappointed by the lack of information. Robards wasn't kidding when he said the mission was unprecedented. Five male muggles aged 33 with matching descriptions of being tall and blonde were found with deep slashes marring their pale skin distinctly over their chest. Coroners reported there was no indication of what caused the precise lacerations other than an extremely sharp blade of a sword, given the length of the slashes. The muggle coroners had reported cause of death was hemorrhaging, most likely from the cuts. What was even stranger, was that the men were all identical to Draco.

Draco inhaled sharply staring at the moving picture in front of him. The men all looked like Draco had when Harry used sectumsempra in the 6th floor boy's bathroom. With each page flip, Draco became increasingly disturbed. 

The next shocking discovery the muggles had found was that upon returning to the bodies after their break, the five men were all different, but still had the same injuries as the men who looked identical to Draco. This newfound discovery wasn't released to the world as Harry and his team luckily were there to obliviate the coroners. Draco now understood why Harry leapt on the case, but he blamed Robards for letting his husband get his way. It's clear Harry's emotions could jeopardize the mission. In fact, Draco was almost sure it had. Draco hated Robards for not stopping Harry, although Draco knew Harry would've found a way to be involved regardless.

He was getting close to the end of the file which no doubt had a description of Harry's death. The next page was going to be the last time he would ever see his Harry. He almost didn't turn the page but he had to know.

Draco gulped and turned his head slightly to the right so only one eye could see the page. His hand shook as he went to turn it. Although he stopped his breathing, his heart beat rapidly, loudly, nervously. 

Draco slowly peered down at the file before him. No, not his Harry. No, no, no, no no! Draco thought, filled with anguish. That couldn't be the strong, fiery, determined Harry he knew. The man before him looked sickly and unbelievably pale. Even paler than Draco. He was bruised and battered to the point where he looked like a completely different person. Harry was naturally lean and wiry, but as he matured he had filled out his body, becoming more muscular. However, the man in this picture had knobby knees and his rubs jutted out from his main frame.

Decedent: Harry James Potter

Home Address: 12 Grimmauld Place, Islington, London 

Age: 33 DOB: July 31st, 1980 Sex: Male Last Known Occupation: Auror

Race: Caucasian Marital Status: Married

Date of Death: June 5th, 2013

Cause of Death: Blunt force injury to torso. Internal bleeding. Cruciatus Curse. 

Manner of Death: Homicide

The folder fluttered to ground slowly- almost gracefully- scattering papers around the room. Draco's knees buckled beneath him and his body crumpled to the ground, his back pressed against the bedframe frame. A tightness engulfed his chest, squeezing his lungs until he was left gasping for air. 

As soon as Draco opened his mouth to breathe, a strangled cry left his lips; it was the kind of scream that pierced the ears and rattled the heart. Choked sobs slipped out the window ready to be carried by the wind. 

Draco's eyes were bloodshot and puffy, his cheeks soaked in tears. He lay there on the floor curled in fetal position surrounded by pools of his own salty tears and mucus. Pathetic, he thought, before letting sleep wash over his tired body.

******

Draco stumbled into a hidden pantry in the basement where he kept his potions, bottle of firewhiskey in hand. In his inebriated state, he accidentally knocked into the left shelf, sending dozens of potions to the ground, shattering on impact. Liquid splattered the hard floors but Draco didn't care. He didn't care that several shards of glass impaled his pale skin. That was the beauty of intoxication- feeling nothing at all. Sluggishly, Draco roamed the shelves looking for two certain potions. He squinted trying to read the different labels but the alcohol blurred his vision. 

"Fuck it" Draco muttered. He reached out to the far back of the shelf until his hand clasped over a wide bottle. Uncapping the potion, he brought it to his nose, inhaling deeply. He was instantly struck with the overwhelming scent of rosemary. He chuckled to himself. It was just his luck he picked the right bottle the first time. Perhaps the universe was trying to tell him something,

"I'll see you soon, Harry,"he mumbled. Draco tipped his head back and gulped the potion in one swig. He waited to feel something, anything! But nothing came. Draco sank to the floor ignoring the shattered glass beneath him. Maybe he drank too much to feel anything. Whatever the case, he sat sadly, a bloody mess. Merlin, if Harry could see him now in this pathetic state maybe the wanker and wouldn't have gone off and gotten himself killed. 

"Fucking twat" Draco groaned. He couldn't keep Harry safe. He couldn't even bloody off himself properly. Draco bit the inside of his cheek, drawing blood, hoping to find a distraction from the ache in his chest and the pounding in his skull.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over Draco causing him to clutch his stomach in discomfort. He thought he was going to be sick. He leaned over and threw up a sticky, black substance. Oh great, he thought. He forgot the Elixir of Euthanasia potion smelled of rosemary and mint. Instead of drinking the Elixir he drank Phial of Iratus Mortem. Draco knew if he didn't act quickly, his body would start to combust from the inside out. Before Draco could think of a remedy, an excruciating burning sensation rippled through his body eliciting a raw scream of agony. This was ten times worse than the times he suffered through the cruciatus curse. With the little movement the pain allowed, Draco reached for the Draught of Calm. Luckily, when it fell off the shelf it hadn't cracked open like the rest of the potions. Another wave of hot pain seared through Draco's abdomen. Now, a panting, sweaty mess, Draco mustered the last of his strength to hold the bottle to his mouth and swallow the substance.

In a matter of seconds, Draco felt his mind ease. He knew the pain was still there. He could feel his insides churn violently, but despite the pain, he was fine. For the first time in a long time he felt calm, weightless. Draco blinked slowly, as the yellow overhead light in the ceiling turned brighter, seeming to encompass the entire room. He had to shut his eyes to shield them from the intensity. His heart beat steadily, then slowly, then not at all. 

He suddenly remembered to open his eyes when he felt a familiar touch. 

"H-Harry?" Harry was dead. How could he be in front of him? How could he be touching Draco? But it had to be him. No one else had those striking eyes. No one else had a lightning bolt on their forehead. Draco didn't notice the rest of the room was eggshell white. He didn't notice he no longer has glass shards sticking out of his leg. He didn't notice he was no longer in the pantry. He only noticed his love, caressing him with strong arms. Harry tightened his grip around Draco, before pressing a kiss to the top of his head. Draco happily leaned into Harry's chest and breathed in deeply, smelling Harry's signature scent of vanilla. He was home.


End file.
